Jon Dahl Tomasson has praised the attitude of Scott Wharton after grasping his opportunity in the Blackburn Rovers team.

The homegrown defender hadn't made a Championship start since February until Dom Hyam got injured at the end of October. Having been a mainstay in the team under Tony Mowbray, the 26-year-old had to be patient with Hayden Carter and Hyam the preferred partnership.

Wharton was recalled to the starting line-up with Hyam out and has put in a string of good performances. There was some more adversity to overcome, a red card at Norwich City and a head injury at Stoke City but that has proved to be a minor footnote in a resurgence to form.

On Tuesday night against Bristol City, he produced his best performance of the season, heading in the winning goal too. After remaining patient during his spell out of the team, Tomasson was full of praise for Wharton's professionalism and for taking the opportunity in front of him. 

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"I think it's great that he scored and he is playing well," Tomasson told The Lancashire Telegraph. "We hope he can stay fit. In football, you get opportunities and it's about taking those opportunities.

"He did really well today. When you have opportunities as a football player, you have to take them because there is someone who wants that opportunity as well.

"We have spoken about being patient, he was patient, he trained well and didn't complain. That is the sign of a good professional, he showed the right mentality towards the team. 

"Now he's playing, that's football, isn't it? They are both good lads, making good progress.

"It is important to have local players, sons scoring a good goal, it makes you proud as a family. They want the best and it gives you a connection with the fans."

Arnor Sigurdsson is another player who has endured a difficult six-week spell, having burst into goal-scoring form initially. Since scoring at Queens Park Rangers in mid-October, he's been quiet and struggled to replicate his early form.

The Robins brought the best out in him too, scoring the opening goal with a great touch and finish to break the deadlock. The 24-year-old was visibly lifted by the strike and was a constant outlet for his team.

"He came in and played a bit, he was injured," Tomasson said on Sigurdsson. "Now he's played a little bit more and hopefully, he'll stay fit now.

"I would rather he'd have high confidence every game and score all the goals. Today, it was a really top-class finish, the clinical edge which you need which was great to see.

"We have spoken a lot of times, goals change games. We know that they had a lot of substitutes with a lot of energy that were front-footed and pressing as well.

"We were on our back foot after that moment. You're right, good teams are able to do that."

Leopold Wahlstedt came in for praise too after his second-half performance. The Rovers goalkeeper made several smart stops to keep the lead intact, denying Jason Knight on two occasions.

What was perhaps most impressive was the way he commanded his area. The 24-year-old has looked shaky, at times, with balls into the area but as Bristol City applied pressure, he was a safe pair of hands, plucking crosses from the sky and relieving the pressure on his team-mates.

With Aynsley Pears edging closer to full fitness, this latest performance with do the young Swede all the world of good.

"He is still a boy learning on the job," Tomasson said. "Every game is a new experience for him. Playing in Norway, the stadiums are not that full and even today, that's a lot of people for him.

"I think he is progressing and I think he did a very good job today."